SLIDE SHOW

QUIZ

Advertisement

Worried About Election Day? Act Now

Fears of a chaotic Election Day -- including the prospect that tens of thousands of eligible voters will be denied ballots -- are growing as states grapple with new machines and procedures and millions of new voters. The New York Times highlighted the problem Thursday, pointing out that the names of thousands of voters are apparently being illegally purged from the roles. But if you're worried about being a victim of that, there is something you can do.

The Times said the illegal purges seem to be more a case of confusion and mistakes than intentional fraud, but the paper concluded it is more likely to affect Democrats than Republicans because Democrats have been more aggressive in registering new voters this year. States most affected include Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and North Carolina, most of which are toss-ups according to our analysis. Colorado responded to the Times story with an announcement that it will review its methods and try to correct any problems.

If you're worried that your registration has been improperly purged or not recorded, there's a useful nonpartisan web site that can help -- canivote.org. For many states, it allows you to plug in your name and check your registration. For others, it tells you how to find out if you're properly registered and what to do about it if you're not.

Voters also can avoid Election Day snafus, delays and confusion by voting early in the 30 or so states allowing it or by requesting an absentee ballot.